Friday Jun 12, 2026
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
POWERHOUSE Arena
28 Adams Street (Corner of Adams & Water Street across from the Archway)
Brooklyn , NY
11201
About the Books.
TRANSACTION DENIED:
Exposes how companies like Visa, Chase, PayPal, Bank of America, and Mastercard use their power to silence dissenting voices and hurt democracy through the practice of financial censorship
Civil liberties activist Rainey Reitman introduces readers to the concept of “financial censorship”—a form of privatized censorship where banks and payment intermediaries act as censors in ways the government couldn’t do directly without violating the First Amendment. Reitman examines financial companies and the role they have played in policing speech, as well as the laws and corporate policies that have enabled this form of censorship.
Weaving together over a decade of research with interviews and narratives from those personally impacted by financial censorship, Reitman reveals how financial exclusion has become a tool to pressure marginalized voices into silence.
From the executive director of a voting rights nonprofit to a teacher of Iranian poetry, to adult content creators and the cannabis community, Reitman uplifts the voices of those who have been targeted by these powerful institutions. She uses their stories as a launching point to explore larger issues about who should have the power to censor in a democratic society.
Insightful and fresh, Transaction Denied exposes this new and alarming form of censorship and offers a path forward by advocating for communities affected by financial exclusion and calling for more transparency of our financial systems.
An essential look at how, throughout American history, the powerless have exercised their 1st Amendment right to free speech, informing how we can defend democracy today.
“Great storytelling about the history and importance of the 1st Amendment, from someone who has spent his life defending—and using—it.” — Mary Beth Tinker
From the beginning of American history, free speech has been crucial for the pursuit of justice and expansion of democracy. Yet today, we are seeing growing attempts to roll back free speech protections in America: cultural warriors are banning books from library shelves at a level not seen in decades, and elected officials are attacking free speech principles to undermine other rights and consolidate their own power.
Uncovering vivid and engaging stories about 1st Amendment pioneers throughout American history, historian and leading censorship expert Christopher Finan highlights how free speech has been used to advocate for change. In the 19th century, abolitionists, advocates for women’s rights, and leaders of the labor movement had to fight for free speech. In the 20th century, the civil rights and anti-war movements expanded free speech, creating a shield for every protest movement that we have seen since.
With sharp insight and page-turning storytelling, Finan demonstrates that the most effective antidote for the growth of hate speech, misinformation, political violence, and anti-democratic efforts by government officials is support for and cultivation of a free and robust marketplace of ideas.
About the Author.
Rainey Reitman is a writer and a civil liberties activist working on the frontlines of some of our generation’s most crucial Internet rights battles. She has led viral campaigns; appeared frequently in radio, print, and television; given speeches around the world on civil liberties; and written on the intersection of technology and human rights. Reitman cofounded and currently serves as president of the Board of Directors of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, a nonprofit defending journalism.
Chris Finan is a writer and historian. He worked for free expression groups for more than 40 years, retiring as executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship. He is the author of From the Palmer Raids to the Patriot Act: A History of the Fight for Free Speech in America. His new book is Freedom of Speech: A People’s History of Democracy’s Most Essential Right.
About the Moderators.
Trevor Timm is the co-founder and executive director of Freedom of the Press Foundation, a New York-based non-profit organization that protects and defends press freedom.
Ben Wizner is a Deputy Legal Director of the ACLU and Director of its Center for Democracy, which encompasses the organization’s work on free speech, privacy, immigrants’ rights, voting rights, human rights, and national security.